1944, Arshile Gorky, Untitled -- Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice)
From the museum label: Gorky spent nine months from 1943-44 on a farm in Virginia, the home of his wife's family, where he made drawings from nature. He then made large paintings based on these in his studio in New York and it was there that Peggy Guggenheim bought this painting, in 1945, in the company of André Breton. This is a majestic example of Gorky's mature style: however difficult to decipher, the imagery is inspired by a close study of landscape, flora and fauna, and despite its spontaneous appearance its forms, lines and colors were carefully planned in advance. We know this from an identical, though smaller, preparatory work on paper in a private collection.
1944, Arshile Gorky, Untitled -- Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice)
From the museum label: Gorky spent nine months from 1943-44 on a farm in Virginia, the home of his wife's family, where he made drawings from nature. He then made large paintings based on these in his studio in New York and it was there that Peggy Guggenheim bought this painting, in 1945, in the company of André Breton. This is a majestic example of Gorky's mature style: however difficult to decipher, the imagery is inspired by a close study of landscape, flora and fauna, and despite its spontaneous appearance its forms, lines and colors were carefully planned in advance. We know this from an identical, though smaller, preparatory work on paper in a private collection.